Stiff vs Regular

[mcbroon]

I have a stiff shafted driver (Taylor Made R7) which, if I say so myself, I hit consistently well. I also have regular shafted Titleist AP2s but I'm struggling a little bit to hit them as consistently well as I hit the driver.

My question is, does switching back and forth between clubs with different shaft stiffness make it harder to hit the ball consistently? Or is the difference so negligible that I must be doing something else wrong?

 

[DaveM]

Don't really think It makes much difference, if you can hit it. IMO.

The shaft manufacturers state you should use the lightest most flexible shaft you can handle?? Don't know if this is true or a sales ploy though.

I have stiff graphite in my irons, but they feel more like reg to me. Reg shafts in my woods. I have a R9 driver so can change shafts. Have tried stiff, reg and A flex in it. To be honest I have not seen any difference with the ball flight in any of them. Other than the dispersion which is a bit tighter with the stiff over the A flex. But then again, the A flex probable goes about 5yrds longer. But in truth this is all splitting hairs. There is not really any practical difference for me anyway.

 

[One Planer]

I would say it depends on the manufacturers definition of stiff and regular.

As there is no set standard they flex can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

As an example I had an R9, the same as Dave, with the stock Fujikura Motore shaft in regular flex. I now play the Mizuno MP-630 with a Fubuki shaft that plays a good bit firmer than the Fujikura, but is still rated as the same flex.

It was the same with the TM superfast fairway woods with the Matrix Ozik stock shafts. They felt very whippy compared to the Fubuki in my 5 Wood.

The Fubuki seems to suit me, hence I have it in all my woods, but then all my clubs are regular flex apart from my wedges.

 

[USER1999]

It is quite common to have a stiff shaft in the driver, and regular irons. I have been c/f for both, and this is the set up I have been recommended.

 

[duncan mackie]

I'll let you know next week!

I've used a stiff driver for some time, with R shafted woods by the same manufacturer, and when I put a good swing on them they both work fine. However, if I 'go after' the fairway woods I am more likely to get a pull than the same swing (as far as I can judge and based on a lot of instances!) than with the driver.

Anyhow, I've just order the 'matching' 3 wood so will shortly be able to see whether it makes a difference - but still have the 5.....

 

[mcbroon]

I'll let you know next week!

I've used a stiff driver for some time, with R shafted woods by the same manufacturer, and when I put a good swing on them they both work fine. However, if I 'go after' the fairway woods I am more likely to get a pull than the same swing (as far as I can judge and based on a lot of instances!) than with the driver.

Anyhow, I've just order the 'matching' 3 wood so will shortly be able to see whether it makes a difference - but still have the 5.....

This is where my problem lies. I feel like I can really get into the driver and give it a good hit but when I try that with the irons, I tend to hit them badly.

When I've got a round going and the juices are up, it's easy to forget that I need to be a bit more patient with the irons and all of sudden I've hoiked one into trouble and a double bogey is on the cards.

I kind of figured that the shafts wouldn't make too much difference and that it was probably me. I guess I'm just looking for excuses

 

[Ethan]

The words regular and stiff do not, of themselves, tell you very much about the shaft. Brands are very different, there is no industry standard for flex and you also have the issue of 'real' versus 'made for' shafts. For example, in Gareth's example, the Motore in his TM was a pretty soft made for version, and the 'real' thing would be a good bit former. The Fubuki was also a 'made for' but a great deal closer (and probably more or less indistinguishable from) the real version.

 

[patricks148]

Ive got two sets of irons i use. if i'm stuggling i use my mp32 with dg r300 and when playing well mp62 with s300. always have a set at home just in case i want to just go fo a bounce game in the evening elsewhere.

switch between them fwith no problems.